TheSamba.com :: View topic - New Heads/Rings

Mon May 28, 2012 12:28 pm

Just did the heads/rings on my recently aquired 85' 1.9 117k mi and my oil light went on when I first started it up. This went out after a few miles but then started flickering the next day while idling. I replaced the pressure switch while I had the engine out so I'm pretty sure that is working correctly. I had a fram oil filter on it so I swapped it with a bosch I had on the shelf to see if it was restricting the oil pump, didnt help. I just learned that both brands are crap but could this be causing my problem? I plan on running a compression check later today but am kinda scrared to drive it anywhere...

Mon May 28, 2012 12:49 pm

Make sure you have the right pressure switches installed.
There are various items available.

Mon May 28, 2012 12:57 pm

insyncro wrote: Make sure you have the right pressure switches installed.
There are various items available.

Switch is:

STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS Part # PS189T

I read somewhere that there should have been a spring and valve associated with the switch but nothing like that cam out with the old switch

Mon May 28, 2012 1:10 pm

I really only have 2.1 experience, but there is a oil pressure relief valve on the case.
It is not part of the switch.

Mon May 28, 2012 1:17 pm

I'll check that out, thanks for the insight.

Mon May 28, 2012 1:21 pm

The valve on the 2.1 is by the oil cooler, below the water pump on the bottom of the case.
A large flat head can be seen from below.

Mon May 28, 2012 2:56 pm

If the problem started when your replaced the switch, I would suspect the switch first and foremost, new parts fail frequently nothing new or unusual there at all. I would never drive with the oil light on. If it comes on for more than a few seconds at cold start or anytime driving down the road the key goes off.

Mon May 28, 2012 3:40 pm

Thanks Wildthing, that's what I was afraid of. Did some research and the new switch has blue insulation which I didn't think makes a difference but everything seems to point to one with a brown insulation. I believe the brown relates to .3 bar and the blue .25 bar... I'm not sure if that .05 bar will make the difference though

Mon May 28, 2012 3:42 pm

Yes it makes a difference.

Mon May 28, 2012 4:16 pm

check one more time for the connectors of those 2 oil pressure sensors. I got similar problem just because one of those connector looks plugged in but NOT.

Mon May 28, 2012 6:54 pm

Sure enough the connection to the switch had pulled away... need to cut a hole in that tin so its not such a pain in the ass to check next time. Just filled up the tranny with fluid after her new external oil cooler was installed yesterday and life is good. thanks for the assistance

Mon May 28, 2012 9:36 pm

Nice call, 60......

Mon May 28, 2012 10:01 pm

I'm sorry, I didn't see what weight oil your running in the engine.

Tue May 29, 2012 1:36 am

20W-50. It is actually still flickering but less sporadically now. It flickers when warm and under 1200 RPM. I'm going to try another switch and possibly a different brand oil filter to see if that cures it.

Tue May 29, 2012 3:40 am

Solve your problem, do a hot oil press(and cold) by hooking a guage up before you do damage to bearings, u may have a 'new' problem that switches won't show. Harbor F has an cheap full kit i find handy, long hose to guage, lots of adaptors.

Tue May 29, 2012 3:01 pm

What is acceptable pressure for idle?

Tue May 29, 2012 3:04 pm

vanagonliebe wrote: What is acceptable pressure for idle?

Just enough to keep the light off when hot, 5 psi or so. The manual probably gives more detailed info.

Tue May 29, 2012 3:57 pm

vanagonliebe wrote: Just did the heads/rings on my recently aquired 85' 1.9 117k mi and my oil light went on when I first started it up. This went out after a few miles but then started flickering the next day while idling.

You drove it a few miles with the oil light on?

Tue May 29, 2012 6:03 pm

Ya, I cringe now knowing what that light entails... This is my first time working on an engine so I'm still learning. Luckily it was just a bad connection

Sun Jun 24, 2012 12:17 pm

Fixed the problem. I had replaced the oil pump cover gasket as a preventative measure while I had the engine out. After reading tencents' write-up on the oil pump gasket I removed the gasket, replaced the pump and used no gasket this time(only sealant and after checking for proper clearance). The light hasn't gone on since.